hat was there within, made right great joy of
their coming, as did all the priests and ancient knights. Perceval
leadeth King Arthur, when he was disarmed, into the chapel where the
Graal was, and Messire Gawain maketh present to Perceval of the Golden
Circlet, and telleth him that the Queen sendeth it to him, and relateth
also how Nabigant had seized it, and moreover, how Nabigant was dead.
The King offereth the crown that had been Queen Guenievre's. When
Perceval knew that she was dead, he was right sorrowful thereof in his
heart, and wept and lamented her right sweetly. He showeth them the
tomb of King Fisherman, and telleth them that none had set the
tabernacle there above the coffin, but only the commandment of Our
Lord, and he showeth them a rich pall that is upon the coffin, and
telleth them that every day they see a new one there not less rich than
is this one. King Arthur looketh at the sepulchre and saith that never
tofore hath he seen none so costly. A smell issueth therefrom full
delicate and sweet of savour. The King sojourneth in the castle and is
highly honoured, and beholdeth the richesse and the lordship and the
great abundance that is everywhere in the castle, insomuch that therein
is nought wanting that is needful for the bodies of noble folk.
Perceval had made set the bodies of the dead knights in a charnel
beside an old chapel in the forest, and the body of his uncle that had
slain himself so evilly. Behind the castle was a river, as the history
testifieth, whereby all good things came to the castle, and this river
was right fair and plenteous. Josephus witnesseth us that it came from
the Earthly Paradise and compassed the castle around and ran on through
the forest as far as the house of a worshipful hermit, and there lost
the course and had peace in the earth. All along the valley thereof
was great plenty of everything continually, and nought was ever lacking
in the rich castle that Perceval had won. The castle, so saith the
history, had three names.

II.

One of the names was Eden, the second, Castle of Joy, and the third,
Castle of Souls. Now Josephus saith that none never passed away
therein but his soul went to Paradise. King Arthur was one day at the
castle windows with Messire Gawain. The King seeth coming before him
beyond the bridge a great procession of folk one before another; and he
that came before was all clad in white, and bare a full great cross,
and each of the othe